The Legend of Zelda: Ghosts of Hryrule
by ThePrincessOfHyrule
Summary: The King of Shadows, synominous with beast. He cost us five years of our lives. Five years that meant everything to everyone. Mark my words: he will pay.
1. Zelda's Reprise

_Princess Zelda! _

Zelda was jarred out of her drifting state in the black oblivion she had existed in for so long, the call of her name the first sound she had heard in what felt like an eternity. A thick fog of confusion surrounded her brain, but with rapid efficiency she found that it was lifting, allowing coherent thoughts to form in her brain. Rather surprisingly, she found herself more concerned with the person talking to her than where she was.

_Yes? _She called out cautiously, her mind growing clearer with each passing second. _Who seeks my audience?_

_A friend, _responded the voice cryptically, one that Zelda recognized as a young woman's. _The descendant of the one who was the sole confident of your whereabouts._

The Princess' breath caught in her throat, all suspicions of a trap banished; if the confident, one of her closest personal friends who had been right in her inner circle before the incident that had placed her where she was. For that friend to confide her whereabouts in another, that person would have to be completely loyal to the True Throne.

_Forgive me, _Zelda apologized for her unvoiced suspicions. _But I must be cautious. Why did you contact me?_

_The time has come, Princess! _The young woman cried, sounding agitated. _Hyrule is approaching mortal peril! We need your assistance!_

Zelda's heart thudded to a halt, then burst into a terrified sprint as she made sense of this information. _Is it true, then? _She whispered, feeling weak with fear. _Has he really taken over?_

_Ages ago, _the woman whispered back. _But he will have done far more terrible things if you don't come to our aid. Please Princess, make haste! Find the Hero of Time, return to Hyrule, and seek me out!_

_But who is it I need to seek? _Zelda demanded, her fear morphing and solidifying into resolve.

_Ask for Rowena D'Arcula, _replied the woman, and Zelda was immediately sure she had never heard the name before. Nevertheless, she murmured, _Farewell for now then, Rowena. I will see you in the near future._

No sooner had she thought this at the woman than she felt the space directly over her heart grow white-hot, causing her whole body to jerk involuntarily in response to the pain; the feeling spread throughout her chest and down her arms, over her torso and throughout her legs. Last came her head, heating up like a pot of boiling water, giving her the strength, for the first time in many years, to open her eyes.

For the briefest second, Zelda stared out in wonder at what she thought looked to be like the inside of a frosted white crystal, beyond which lay a woody brown cave, but then the moment had passed, and with an explosion of noise the crystal rock face was shattered into a thousand pieces by some unknown force, the shards of the dagger-like shrapnel flying in every direction except her own, burying themselves into the jagged, rocky tunnel walls or else flying out into the blackness of the tunnel ahead.

With natural grace, Zelda floated down from the place where she had been suspended in mid-air, her boots lightly making contact with the ground. She blinked about slowly, bemused at the sudden change in her surroundings, in the rapid return to sharp reality. Almost experimentally, she inhaled deeply. The air was warm and stale, from which she gathered that she was somewhere underground, but it was air nevertheless, and that was the first actual breath she had taken in the gods-only-knew how long. She took another breath, and another, tasting the air, staring around like a woman given a second chance at life which, in a way, she had been.

The Princess raised a hand in front of her face, wiggling her silken-gloved fingers experimentally. The sign of the Triforce flashed blinding gold across the back of it, and her fingers curled into a fist as, as suddenly as she had been returned to life, she remembered the reason for why she was where she was; the extremes the Dark King had gone to in attempt to steal her Triforce from her, as well as her Kingdom, had almost taken her life from her, and it was only the astonishingly quick thinking of a certain sorceress that had saved both her and Link from death.

And with that her mind began to flood with memories, her underused brain building imaginary bridges between the past and the present, connecting memories with her present situation, memories of the last hour she had spent in Hyrule, of that final confrontation with Gannondorf and her last few seconds with Link...

**Hyrule, Five Years Ago**

It was well past midnight and the bright white moon was high in the sky, but the usual velvety blackness had been replaced by a flaming blood red, like a mirror reflecting the carnage taking place below. The scene unfolding beneath her was far more potent than the most brutal means of torture to Zelda, who was standing on the white marble balcony outside of her bedchambers, gripping the smooth railing so tightly she was surprised it did not break. She gazed, in horrified silence, down at the burning buildings below her, and even though it seemed impossibly that there was anything left to burn, the inferno was growing stronger with each passing second. Homes and businesses alike were blazing deadly amber-gold, and the screams of people trapped inside pierced her like a physical wound each time they sounded. The air was thick with acrid black smoke, clangs of metal, the war cries and the dying screams of valiant men fighting for their freedom, mingling with the wild neighs of brave steeds and the ferocious snarls of massive, four legged monsters who Zelda had only been able to identify as murderous shadows.

Somewhere in that fray was Link, for she knew that he would not stand by and watch these monsters wreck havoc on Castle Town. At the moment, she would have traded almost anything to fight alongside him, for the freedom of the kingdom and in the name of light, but after all, she, unlike the Hero of Time, was a royal princess who had been commanded to stay behind by the leader of her knights 'for the good of Hyrule.' After all, this battle was only being waged to prevent her capture.

She knew that she could have snuck out of the castle and disguised herself as Sheik in order to fight, but the very tiny part of her that had kept some form of composure during this torturous battle kept her where she was, knowing that no matter how badly her forces were doing in the battle, they would be off infinitely worse if she were killed.

And though Zelda knew that was right, she had never hated being a princess more.

"Why, Gannondorf?" she whispered in mortification, closing her eyes so that she would not be able to see an unfortunate townsperson, who had been defending his burning home, get mauled by one of the four-legged creatures. "All these lives, in an effort to take mine? How can that possibly be worth it?"

She turned slowly, opening her eyes and resting her back against her balcony railing, but she let out a sharp gasp and her hand flew to her throat as she realized she was not alone.

The figure towered over her, at least eight feet tall, and was clothed in heavy black armour embroidered with golden thread. His long, deep jade cape was stitched with strange, square golden ruins at the bottom, and his heavy black boots could have snapped her back in half with a small step. The man, if he could be called that, was more muscular than a bear, with bulging arms as thick as young trees, rotten black fingernails and smoky grey skin, with evil olive green eyes, a cruel slash of a mouth and violent orange hair pulled into tight cornrows.

"Is it worth it?" growled Gannondorf in a rough, rasping voice like rocks scraping down a pane of glass, a sinister smile upon his face as he took a step towards her. "Surely you aren't that dumb, Princess. Of course it's worth it. Every bit of it is."

Her eyes wide, heart pounding at the speed of a flying arrow, Zelda backed away from the warlock, pressing her back against her balcony. Hatred flared inside her, as powerful as the flames assaulting Hyrule below, and she glared at Gannondorf, her eyes hard, mouth set. "Those people have done nothing to harm you!" she shouted, throwing a hand out behind her and pointing at the dying villagers below. "If it's me you want, why make them suffer?"

Gannon's pupils contracted, and his eyes flashed, opaque in the firelight. "Their suffering will be minimal if you cooperate, Princess," he said softly, and there was undisguised greed etched upon his brutal face as he stared at her. "It wouldn't have been necessary at all if you had the courage to stand and fight with your men."

Zelda felt as though the warlock had punched her in the stomach; his words, undoubtedly chosen to inflict torment upon her, rang through her mind, rendering her incapable of speech. Gannondorf let out an unpleasant laugh, and the longing on his face grew more pronounced as he continued.

"Cowardice is not an admirable quality, princess," he chided. "But it should make your next choice fairly easy to make; you can either surrender the Triforce of Wisdom, and yourself, to me, and I will call off the attack on Castle Town. Refuse, and I will take them both forcibly and ensure that every last man, woman and child in this accursed kingdom suffers a slow and painful death.

"I know you are not unintelligent, Princess; you know that one of the three holders of the Triforce will one day possess all, and the one that unites them will have ultimate power. Wisdom cannot hope to overcome strength, and as for the Hero of Time...courage is no match for deadly power and skill."

He extended his clenched fist, where his golden sign of the Triforce burned like the flames of Hell. He then turned his hand over and opened it, beckoning for her to place what he was demanding inside it.

Zelda's heart throbbed unevenly in her chest, throwing itself against her ribs as if determined to escape from their cage. She knew that surrendering was not an option, that her men were determined to fight to the death in order to protect both her and Hyrule, that Gannondorf could not be allowed to possess the Triforce of Wisdom; the fact that he had possession of _one _of the pieces was horrible enough. She knew that she must keep fighting him, as the Hylians were his beasts, and that she would sooner die than surrender her own piece, and yet a tiny shadow of doubt resided in her, undoubtedly born out of Gannon's words.

_Am I a coward? _She asked herself, staring unseeingly into the face of the warlock. _Should I have defied Captain Turner and snuck into the battle? Should I end it now, rectify my mistake, end their suffering? _She paused, utterly dismayed, then pleaded, _Triforce of Wisdom, please guide me!_

Zelda raised her right hand up in front of her face, and her sign of the Triforce, which had been a faded yellow, suddenly burned almost painfully against the back of her hand, glowing a shimmering, molten gold. Resolve exploded like a bombshell inside her chest, and as if to strengthen this, Link's face flashed through her mind.

_I am no coward! _She declared, her expression hardening. _I did what Turner told me to do, and nothing more. I will fight until my heart stops beating, like all those below, in the name of light, wisdom and courage!_

"If I give this to you," she said slowly in her floating, musical voice, and she saw Gannondorf's eyes flash excitedly. "I will be dooming my people to eternal misery. Strength might triumph over wisdom, but it takes courage to stand up to tyrants like you, Gannondorf, and so the Hero of Time shall be your downfall.  
Gannon's excitement morphed instantly into inhumane anger, and a violent purple glow appeared around him as he shook with barely restrained rage. "You think so, don't you?" he growled, and then three things happened at once.

Gannondorf lunged towards her, his meaty fist almost entirely obscured by purple energy, and he punched her with such force that it should have knocked her off the balcony and plunged her into the battle below, had she been there to receive it, for at that same moment, she twirled on the spot, arms intertwined above her head, and ribbons of yellow light and emerald green obscured her blurred form as she disappeared with a mini explosion that destroyed half of her balcony and blasted Gannondorf into the stone wall of her castle.

As Zelda reappeared in her bedchamber, the wooden door was blasted off its hinges and Link ran in, covered in soot and sporting a deep gash in one cheek, countless others on his clothing, but not seriously injured. His bright blue eyes darted restlessly around the room, the Master Sword gripped tightly in his hands, and as he caught sight of Zelda, an expression of utmost relief passed over his face, replaced almost instantly by a nearly equal sense of urgency.

"Princess Zelda!" he shouted, extending his free hand towards her in a silent beg for her to take it and follow him. From behind them, Gannondorf unleashed a savage roar of outrage and burst through the glass door leading out to her wrecked balcony, eyes bulging with fury, still shaking violently, still glowing violent purple. Without hesitation, Zelda placed her gloved hand in Link's, and the two of them sprinted out of the chamber and through the deserted, moonlit castle, for all the usual inhabitants were struggling in the battle raging down below, and the sickening clangs of metal on metal, the uneartheal shrieks of Gannon's beasts, the shouting cries of dying men, drifted up through the windows.

On and on they ran, the Princess of Hyrule and the Hero of Time tearing over the thick red carpeting, flashing past heavy wooden doors. Gannondorf's pounding footsteps echoed off the stone walls, his heavy, laboured breaths sounding ominously from behind them, hovering over them like murderous shadows. Perhaps his brute strength was greater than both Link's and Zelda's combined, but in this contest of speed they had him outmatched.

They rounded so many corners, took so many shortcuts and sprinted down so many flights of stairs that Zelda no longer knew where in the dark castle they were, though her sharp azure eyes probed the hallways for some sort of escape route; the stained glass windows were too high up for them to easily reach, and by the time they got up to one, Gannondorf would be upon them, and that was unacceptable.

As they rounded yet another corner, Zelda suddenly recognized where they were, and she skidded to a halt, causing the thick red carpet to rise up in uneven piles at the end of the corridor. The wall on their right was blank albeit for several empty brass torch brackets, and she knew for a fact that the door on the left led to the deserted weapons locker for her royal guard. Ahead of them, covered by a delicately embroidered tapestry that was woven to show a detailed map of Hyrule, was a dead end, and as Gannondorf let out a malicious laugh, she knew they were trapped.

But as soon as she realized this, a plan sprung into her mind; she whirled around, palms facing outwards at chest level, and, narrowing her eyes in concentration, she thrust them forwards, the effort comparable to pushing against an invisible stone wall. From her gloved hands burst a cackling mass of electrical purple-blue light, which tore through the air and slammed forcefully into Gannondorf, who had just rounded the corner-

With an outraged roar, the warlock was blasted off his feet, and he collided with the wall with wince-worthy force. Zelda turned back around, seized Link's hand in hers and then sprinted towards the end of the corridor, demanding, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do," was Link's immediate response, and even though she couldn't see his face in the dim lighting of the hallway, she could picture him rolling his eyes. Half-turning her head over her should to look at him, she whispered, "Then don't let go."

And with that, she swiped one hand through the air, causing a large cackling fireball to erupt into existence, speeding through the air towards the tapestry, growing larger every second. It burned a large hole right through the middle of it, and its momentum was such that it melted a sizeable gap into the stone wall behind it before fading into a thousand sparks-

Link's shout of comprehension, Gannondorf's wordless bellow of furious denial and the scream wrench unwillingly from the Princess' lips all mingled together as Zelda and Link flung themselves corkscrew style through her hastily created escape route, and for the briefest second they hung suspended in a starry sky that was ablaze with flames and screams, and then they were falling, tumbling end over end in a chaotic plunge groundward, a mass of limbs and torsos, hands still joined –

And then, they came to an abrupt halt, the air knocked from their lungs by a thick, knobbly tree branch. Gasping for breath, eyes watering in pain, Zelda hung there, as limp as a ragdoll dropped from a window, unable to do anything but listen with mounting horror to the clangs of the battle raging down below them. But then an ear-splitting roar sounded from the depths of the castle, a hundred times louder and more terrible than any sound she had ever heard before, and it was so forceful that the stone and marble castle trembled precariously.

Not having to look far for the source of the din, Zelda forced herself into sitting position upon the branch and glanced down, immediately spotting Link sitting on a branch not far beneath her, grinning appreciatively.

"Quick thinking," he complemented her with a roguish wink, and Zelda smiled smally, a trace of a blush burning in her cheeks.

"Thank you," she murmured, casting her gaze towards the flaming, crumbling ruins of the village. "But now, our fortunes lie elsewhere, and we must pursue them."

With wordless nods to each other, the pair climbed agilely down from their perches on the towering tree that had saved them from their chaotic fall. Zelda's heart contracted fearfully with each bellowing roar that sounded from inside the castle, wincing with each shuddering tremor that went through it. In hardly any time at all, she landed lightly on the ground just seconds after Link did, brushing her silken dress off as she did so. From beside her, Link let out a low, musical whistle that finished in a high, keening note that echoed over the castle grounds long after he had stopped.

For a moment, there was nothing, and then a loud whinny sounded from out of sight, accompanied by a tall Clydesdale horse with caramel fur and a billowing mane of soft, creamy white hair. The horse clapped to a resounding halt before them, and Zelda reached one hand up to stroke its mane, staring into the horse's intelligent, dark brown eyes and murmuring, "Epona."

"There will be time enough to say our hellos later, Zelda," Link said impatiently, though his eyes twinkled playfully as he formed a boost with interlocking fingers. "Here, I'll –"

But an almighty crash sounded from the bowels of the castle, causing Epona to neigh with fright, rearing back on her hind legs before taking off like a speeding arrow towards the burning fray, but not before Link was able to seize her leather reins with one hand, swinging Zelda over his shoulder as though she weighed no more than a sack of feathers, and then he settled himself in the saddle, the breathless Princess dropping down behind him.

"_Ayah!" _Link shouted, tugging on his steed's reins to regain control. The horse whinnied again, its chocolate eyes bulging, but she allowed the Hero of Time to take control of her course.

Zelda narrowed her eyes against the blazing heat as they rounded the corner of the castle, Epona leaping over a low marble wall to cross over to the flaming courtyard. The Princess was nearly thrown off the horse as it clattered to a halt on the cobblestoned ground, and instinctively wrapped her arms around Link's torso. She felt his stomach muscles flex, and his breath caught in his throat at her touch. Heat flooded Zelda's face, something that had nothing to do with the temperature, but now was not the time to lose her focus.

They had nearly cleared the massive marble archways that marked the entrance to the corridor when an almighty roar sounded from behind them, accompanied by tremors so violent the stone beneath them cracked. Epona staggered to a halt, and Link gave a shout of surprise, pulling hard on the horse's reins to get her to skid in a half circle. As they completed their rotation, an explosion of sound blasted the front wall of the castle apart, so powerful that it effectively halted the vicious battle between men and shadows.

Chunks of marble flew outwards like meteorites, some narrowly missing their group. Zelda shielded her face from the maelstrom of wreckage in the crook of one arm, keeping a firm grip on Link with her free arm. The Hero of Time yelled in panic as Epona whinnied in terror, attempting to sprint away from the chaos.

"Woah, Epona!" shouted Link, pulling on her reins to steady the rearing horse, who kicked the air with her front legs before landing hard on the ground.

All this took place in less than three seconds, by which time the dust was beginning to settle. Slowly, Zelda lowered her arm, and her eyes widened in horror at what she saw, her gasp mingling with Link's shocked one. A massive, revolting creature was standing before them, six stories high and consuming three quarters of the courtyard. If Zelda had to hazard a guess at what it was – the who part was no problem – she would have said it was a warthog, albeit the ugliest one she had ever seen; it was ashy grey, with a long tangled mane of filthy, flaming red hair. Its neck was knotted with bulging muscles, as thick as three of the countless towers atop the castle. Its mouth was full of broken yellow teeth, its massive snout wet with mucus, two curving ivory tusks sharper than the most horned blade jutted out from either side of the snout, and its slanted, bloody red eyes were narrowed in something remarkably like hate.

_Of course it's hate, _Zelda thought, her heart pounding with terror as she gazed up at the warthog whose whole body was heaving with each breath it took. Even if the beast did not have the overpowering stench of dried sweat, blood and general repulsiveness emanating off of it in waves, she would have known who the beast was. Only one being glared at her with that much malice.

Beast Gannon.

There was a beat of impossible, oppressive silence, during which both mortal and demon stared up at the warthog, whose form was blazing with violent purple energy, in a kind of horrified trance, and then, the beast unleashed an uneartheal roar and reared back on its hind legs as it prepared to charge, an act that was mirrored by the brutes it commanded as they launched themselves on the remaining able-bodied knights.

Zelda was deaf to the sounds of the battle raging around them as Epona sprinted away from Gannon, not needing Link's low, urgent whispers in her ear to propel her forwards. The Princess pressed the side of her face against Link's back as they tore down the blazing main street of Castle Town, leaping over flaming carts and timbers of wood, and occasionally humans. As they flashed through the village, Zelda was provided with some of the most horrible sights she had ever seen; businesses, homes and stables were all aflame, none spared by the soulless creatures of the Dark Realm. The thatched straw roofs collapsed from the cackling amber flames that raged upon them, smoke burning her eyes and nostrils with its thick, acrid stench, but it left her hearing quite unimpaired; the dying, agonized screams of burning men, woman and children, terrified whinnies of trapped horses and bewildered yelps of tortured livestock and the shouts of dying, noble men and beasts assaulted her ears, hurting her more effectively than the most brutal means of physical torture.

_All of this is because of you, _whispered an unbidden voice in her head, glorying in her tears of rage and sorrow. _Because you would not surrender to Gannondorf!_

_You mean because I chose to be brave, like my men? _Zelda argued with herself, defiance and hope flickering inside of her. _Because I refused to lay down my life as a doormat to hell?_

She was torn away from her inner struggle by the unmistakable sound of thunderous hooves pummelling the ground. Gannon was upon them at last, and just one of his colossal strides equalled to ten of Epona's. It was a desperate, futile flight for freedom, one they were doomed to lose.

"Dammit!" cursed Linked, shaking Epona's reins to make her go faster. "Can you take over, Zelda? I can't steer and hold him off at the same time."

Zelda's mouth was a grim slash of determination, and her eyes flashed at Link's words; she would not let anyone else fight this battle for her. "No," she murmured, her melodious voice ringing with certainty. "I will stop him myself. No one else will suffer because of my choices."

"Alright," Link said, no trace of doubt in his voice. "I trust you."

"I know you do," Zelda murmured, the weight of his belief in her weighing down upon her shoulders. Link hazarded a glance at her, a smile playing about his lips, and Zelda returned it before her eyes slid shit. The shouts and clangs of the battle were instantly extinguished, and she sunk into the blackness of concentration, focusing every last ion of her power upon reaching outwards, probing the consciousness of an entity whose power she possessed.

_Spirits of the light that shine far and wide upon our land, _she thought, bowing her head in prayer. _I ask this one, great favour of you, in my realm's time of greatest need. Grant me a weapon that will allow me to banish the evil that has infected Hyrule!_

No sooner had she finished her plea than there was a flash of white light from beyond her closed lids, accompanied by a low, continuous hum and a sharp intake of surprised breath from Link. Immediately, Zelda's eyes snapped open, and the raucous sounds of the battle raging around them returned to assault her ears. Nevertheless, a satisfied smile formed upon her lips, for rocketing alongside them, captured in a translucent sphere of molten gold, was a wrought golden bow that seemed to have been fashioned from light itself, along with four gently glowing arrows of the same colour.

_Thank you, spirits! _Zelda cried mentally, reaching out an grasping the weaponry in one hand, and she carefully twisted in her seat so that she was sitting side-saddle, facing Beast Gannon. The brute's head was bent low, snout feet from the ground, bloody red eyes fixed upon them. His form still glowed with violent purple energy, and he was rapidly gaining ground on them, each thunderous footfall sending terrific vibrations running through her form.

Not for nothing, however, was the Princess of Hyrule acknowledged as an accomplished markswoman; she expertly loaded her bow, the heat from the Light Arrow travelling through her fingertips and through her entire body, banishing her fear and fatigue. She raised her bow, pulling the string taught, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the space directly between the warthog's eyes, blood pounding urgently through her ears. The beast gave an almightily snort, as if in attempt to deter her from her plan, but Zelda bared her teeth in a savage smile in response, and released the string.

With an almost musical twang, the Light Arrow tore through the air like a shooting star, leaving a thick beam of gold light in its wake. Brutally strong Gannon may have been, but he was about as agile as a mountain, and so he could not dodge the arrow that buried itself squarely between his eyes. The massive warthog stumbled in its advance, tossing its head and bellowing deafeningly in displeasure, buckling at the knees, but its momentum carried forwards, and soon it was running again, vats of steam escaping its nostrils, coiling around miniature waterfalls of crimson blood that spouted from his wound.

"Nice shot!" Link shouted, but it was drowned out by the warthog's deafening roar of pain, causing the very air around them to reverberate with shock waves. The Princess' long auburn hair flew out behind her and her eardrums whined in protest, threatening to pop, while rock-sized droplets of the beast's blood pelted her and Link, soaking her skin, thick and uncomfortably hot, effectively blinding her. Spitting out a mouthful of liquid and brushing her face clean, Zelda reloaded her bow, gripping the butt of the next arrow with her forefinger and thumb; she raised the weapon, searching the beast for weak spots. She did not have to search long; as Gannon raised his thick front legs to launch himself forwards, she caught sight of a long, jagged scar that ran the entire length of his belly, glowing white and seeming to be full of light. She knew from experience that it was there that Link often dealt a fatal blow to the warlock, hence its size.

_One hit, that's all I need, _Zelda thought, closing one eye for accuracy, taking careful aim at the scar and releasing the string. But against the odds of a thousand to one, it was at that precise moment that Epona leapt over a fallen, flaming timber, causing her arm to jerk and throwing the arrow off course; it soared harmlessly beneath the warthog's rapidly moving legs, and Zelda knew for a fact that it struck one of Gannon's demons straight in the forehead.

"Thank you, gods!" shouted the knight who had been fighting the shadow, and Zelda's sense of satisfaction mingled with the despair of missing a shot, coupled with the fact that she had reduced her supply of Light Arrows to half its original size. She could ask for more, but the Light spirits would not be likely to answer her prayers again, and even if they did, the effort of producing them would plunge her to the brink of unconsciousness.

Taking a deep, steadying breath to calm herself, Zelda pulled her second last arrow through the small hole in her bow, her thumb and index finger simultaneously pulling the string taught. Taking care to point her bow directly at the scar, which would alternately shrink and stretch in size, Zelda glanced into Gannon's vast, flaming eyes, and thought, _Courage and wisdom combined will best even strength, Gannon._

She let the arrow fly, and this time her aim was true; the Light Arrow rocketed towards the jagged scar, plumes of golden flames forming a half-sphere in front of its head, and it buried itself into the warthog's flesh at the very tip of the crack of white, its momentum carrying it forward like a zipper pulling down a jacket.

The beast gave an almighty roar of agony, rearing back on its hind legs, eyes bulging, front hooves kicking the air as though it were a solid enemy, and then, despite Epona's impossible speed, they did not escape the aftershock of Gannondorf connecting with the ground.

The warthog's bellow of pain mingled with the remaining living knight's yells of shock, the terrified screams of surviving civilians and the inhumane, terrified snarls unleashed by the warlock's minions. All within range scrambled out of the shadow of the falling monstrosity, which fell with such forced that it would have rivalled that of Hyrule Castle if it collapsed. Zelda bounced a full five feet in the air off Epona's saddle, and the horse herself staggered in her terrified sprint. The princess would have been left on the stone ground if Link had not snatched her out of mid-air and settled her back on the saddle. She did not notice, for she was transfixed with horror, staring with huge, unblinking eyes at where Gannondorf had fallen. Not all had made it out of his range in time, and he had crushed dozens of homes upon his initial impact with the ground, shattering countless buildings as though they were as sturdy as toothpick models as his momentum carried his skidding form to a halt, knocking bodies every which way.

_Even in defeat, he still claims lives! _Zelda thought hollowly, her mind alternating between spitefulness at what defeating Gannon had cost her and joy at their narrow escape.

"Woah, Epona!" shouted Link, pulling hard on the horse's reins to get her to stop. The horse, apparently, was fed up with the entire ludicrous situation they had dragged her into, and with an angry snort she reared forwards and pitched Link and Zelda off her back. Though both were surprised, they recovered well and landed hard upright. Link immediately pulled her into a one-armed hug, punching her lightly on the shoulder while shouting jubilantly, "Nice job, Princess!"

Zelda blushed at her companion's words, an unfamiliar swooping sensation going through her stomach and, more to put an end to her confusion than a matter of being uncomfortable, she disentangled herself from Link, murmuring, "We're not out of this yet; look!"

She pointed at the towering wrought black iron gates that barred the entrance to Castle Town once night fell. These gates were twisted and warped, creating huge gaps in between bars, yet they still stood upright. Zelda herself had sealed the gates with a protective spell, put in place to repel evil, but clearly Gannon's beasts had found a way through her defences.

The gates were now shielded from her by a towering, translucent wall of flaming indigo light, causing the dark forest beyond to warped by a sense of harsh unreality. Zelda knew it would be nigh impossible to attempt to unravel the enchantment by herself with the raging sounds of the battle that had recommenced behind them, and was very tempted to swear as violently as Link was beside her, but before she could act upon that whim, her mind was seized with the image of the fallen warthog that was lying amidst the burning rubble of low-rise buildings. Blood was pooling around its gargantuan form, but its malicious eyes were still open, sharp with attention, burning with the same loathing that the warlock it really was always glared at her with.

_Bravo, Princess Zelda, _Gannondorf rough growl of a voice echoed through her mind, and her breath caught in her throat, arms stiff at her sides. _You've delayed the arrival of your fate for now, but even you cannot defy inevitabilities._

An expression of disdain appeared upon Zelda's face, and with a single note of unimpressed laughter, she thought back, _And when that day comes, Gannondorf, I will be willing to meet it, unlike you._

The warlock snorted. _Brave words for the one who left her kingdom at my forces' mercy. Farewell for now, Zelda. Your day will come, and when it does, I'll be waiting with the blade that will claim your life._

With that, Gannondorf's consciousness receded from hers, and her mind cleared, leaving Zelda feeling incredibly disoriented. She swayed on the spot, head throbbing, and Link gave a cry of alarm, catching her against his chest. "What happened?" he demanded, tilting her chin up with his index finger.

The wave of delirium passed, and Zelda forced herself out of Link's arms, gasping, "Gannondorf!"

As one, she and Link spun around, each uttering cried of shock as they saw that the titanic beast had vanished, leaving absolutely nothing but destruction and the chaos of a continuing battle in his wake.

_His disappearance should be a cause for rejoicing, _Zelda thought dully, sinking to her knees as exhaustion crashed over her in an overpowering wave. _And yet why do I feel as though everything went as he had planned?_

In that moment, neither Zelda nor Link knew just how consequential Gannondorf's vanishing would turn out to be.


	2. Sheik Unleashed

I appologize for this unbelievable delay readers. I've been ridiculously busy and have had like NO time to upload. Sorry, hopefully you're all still interested.

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"Princess Zelda!" came a weak cry from their left, a woman's cry. Instantly identifying the speaker, Zelda turned and saw, to her extreme relief, her chief sorceress Hera of Brightheart, staggering towards them from between two nearby buildings. She was clutching her right arm, whole body covered in soot, her honey coloured hair flying around her ash-smeared face, bright blue eyes peering out from the blackened mass like miniature suns.

"Hera!" Zelda cried, making to run forwards, concern etched upon her face, but the young woman shook her head in protest, eyes clenched shut from pain as she stopped some five yards away from them.

"You must flee," murmured Hera, her eyes snapping open, bright with anxiety. "As quickly as you can."

Link stiffened at her side, and Zelda sensed an aura of mistrust emanating out from him. "We don't let others fight our battles," he responded, his voice ringing with defiance. "Especially not when Hyrule is in danger."

Hera shook her head slowly, a frustrated smile upon her lips. "You don't understand," she murmured at last, staggering closer, her heart shaped face drawn with pain. "It's not a question of bravery; it's for the good of all of Hyrule. If you stay, thousands will die, including yourselves! As we speak, the Dark King is marshalling his forces to wage an even more vicious assault upon the village, and he will not rest until he has seen that the two of you are dead."

Link, clearly sceptical, shook his head in disbelief, but Zelda touched his arm, cautioning him to listen to Hera, while her eyes stared unwaveringly into her sorceress', searching for the truth. It was there, etched upon every line in the young woman's face. "Of course, Hera," she murmured, bowing her head. "If that is what you think is best, we'll go."

Link turned to jump onto Epona's back, but Hera shook her head furiously, saying, "You won't be able to outrun him."

"What do you suggest?" Link challenged, disgruntled.

Hera closed her eyes and took a slow, steadying breath, then launched into speech, talking in a very low, fast voice. "The only way to ensure that he does not catch you is to send both of you to the far regions of Hyrule province. The next part of my plan may seem drastic, but trust me, it is crucial. I will seal you both in enchanted sleeps, which is timed to lift when Hyrule reaches its time of mortal peril."

There was stunned silence, during which even Epona stared between Link and Zelda, her ears twitching as she sensed something in the atmosphere change.

"Which is when?" Link asked finally, scepticism increasing by tenfold. Hera raised a long, thin eyebrow and responded, "Only time will tell. But I'm certain it will arrive soon, in a matter of months at most."

Zelda exchanged an uncertain glance with Link. _Months? _She thought, worry gnawing at her mind, a thought she was sure Link shared. Hera did not miss this, and she stamped a foot in anger, her patience waning.

"Look!" she shouted, face shining with exasperation and urgency. "Gannondorf is coming, and will stop at nothing to kill you. Hyrule will not stand a chance if either of you die. By leaving, the Dark King will halt the assault on the city to search for you, which will save hundreds of lives in Castle Town alone. That's what you want, isn't it?"

Zelda's eyes hardened at her words, resolve solidifying in her chest. "You're right, of course," the princess conceded. "I will do whatever it takes to save Hyrule. Of course, I cannot speak for Link, and I will not force him to accompany me."

Link snorted, unimpressed. "I'm coming with you, Zelda," he told her firmly, no hint of uncertainty in his voice as he punched her lightly on her gold-plated shoulder. He turned to Hera next, nodding at Epona. "What about Epona? Are we taking her with us?"

Hera shook her head mournfully. "I'm sorry. You can't. I would recommend sending her into hiding. I'll retrieve her once the battle dies down."

Link nodded, as did Zelda. Hera's logic made sense; concealing as many clues as to where they might be as possible would make their absence from the battle more conspicuous, and thus make Gannon more likely to halt the battle sooner. They turned to Epona, the princess stroking the horse's flowing mane, murmuring, "You did very well, Epona. I'll miss you greatly." The horse snorted in response, blinking her intelligent brown eyes to show that she understood. Zelda smiled slightly and withdrew, allowing Link to step forwards. He patted the horse's flank, pressing the side of his cheek against her neck and speaking in a low, calming voice.

"You're going into hiding, Epona," he told her, pulling back to look at the horse. She tossed her head and whinnied softly, fixing him with a look that clearly said, _Should I run through the burning buildings or fly over the gates? Foolish master._

"Here," Zelda murmured hurriedly, for she had been watching the horse with a slight smile on her face and, interpreting her expression as a plea for an escape route, she raised her bow and final Light Arrow, expertly loading it an pointing the arrowhead in the direction of the gates. They were surrounding by a three meter thick force field of translucent purple energy, but it was no match for the forces of light; she released the bow string with a sharp _twang! _sending the arrow speeding towards the purple barrier; it tore through it like a rock through water, banishing the force field by sending a current of white light running out from where it passed through it. The arrow continued onwards and collided with one of the bars, blasting it apart with a gong-like boom and explosion of molten gold light, leaving a large gap in the metal.

"Ayah!" shouted Link, slapping Epona sharply upon the flanks. The horse neighed and reared back on her hind legs, clearly tired of all the abuse, and took off like a meteorite, bounding through the gap in the gate like a show horse and sprinting out of sight.

The princess watched the horse fade from view, then tossed her bow high into the air, thinking, _Thank you for your gift, Light Spirits! _Before it could fall back to earth, it vanished in a crack of golden light, swallowed into non-existence.

Turning her attention back to her friends, Zelda sensed sadness emanating from Link, and she reached out, brushing the back of his fingerless-gloved hand with the tips of her fingers.

"She'll be alright," the princess murmured, and Link looked at her sharply, his bright blue eyes seeking, and finding, refuge in her darker ones. Zelda smiled slightly before turning back to face Hera, but a blast of heat billowing out from the burning village hit her like a punch to the face, effectively distracting her.

Men, women and children were strewn about the street like discarded remnants of a meal, mingling with the far less numerous bodies of daemons and dying horses, emitting agonized whinnies as they lay collapsed on their sides and backs, front legs paying fretfully at the air. There was not a building left untouched, and several had collapsed, reduced to smoking piles of ash and rubble, and it was more common than not to see a blackened corpse hanging out of windows. Knights and enraged townspeople battled Gannon's remaining beasts, the villages' faces alight with malice, armed with pitchforks and daggers.

It broke her heart to see her people suffering, all because of one being's ruthless quest for power. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she looked on at the battle. "Mark my words," she whispered, blinking back tears. "I will set you free, Hyrule."

Link interlocked his fingers with hers, his touch acting like a stimulant, providing her with the strength to complete her turn and face Hera. The sorceress 'piercing blue eyes were round and gaunt with an ancient sadness, her face made even more mournful by the flickering, shadowy flame light. Nevertheless, she smiled slightly at the sight of them, flexing her hand, lavender sparks trailing from her fingertips.

"Ready?" the woman asked, blowing a strand of honey-coloured hair out of her face. "Join hands, and concentrate on the safest place you can imagine."

The Princess of Hyrule and the Hero of Time did as they were told, the seriousness of the situation subduing them past the point of embarrassed smiles. Zelda found herself staring, mesmerized, into Link's eyes, perfect circles of oceanic blue, forgiving, yet bottomless...

_A forest, _she found herself thinking, still transfixed by her companion's gaze. _That's where I want to be, deep in a forest, as far away from this chaos as possible._

Swirling rings of bluish-white light appeared around them, tilting like spinning tops, galaxies of whirling sparkles, filling the spaces in between the rings up, effectively shielding all but Link from view, who, for the time being, was the only real thing in the world.

"Close your eyes, commanded Hera, her voice sounding from what felt like the other end of the universe. "Feel your way into nothingness..."

Zelda opened her eyes, and was momentarily surprised to find that she was standing once more in the underground passageway. The only light, slowing faintly from around the bend of the narrow, rocky cavern, was faint and silvery, leading the princess to believe that wherever she was, it was night time.

She inhaled again, revelling in the essence of life flooding her lungs, a feeling she had been deprived of for the gods-only-knew how long. And suddenly, the urge to run out of the passageway, out into open air, consumed her so completely that she was only able to keep herself from hurtling down the uneven path by a lone, sane voice in her head.

_You cannot simply run outside as the Princess of Hyrule! _The voice scolded. _Transform!_

_ Right, _she thought back, returning to rationality, and she raised her hands to cover her face, palm out. Turning swiftly on the spot, she allowed a soft, purplish-blue white light to envelope her like a cocoon. She felt her gown, gloves, boots and tiara vanish, only to be replaced instantly by a form-fitting dark blue bodysuit, her shoes seamlessly attached to the bottom of the part covering her legs. She felt white bandages wrap themselves around her fingers and throat, felt a red Sheikah eye being painted upon her back, a close-fitting hat settling upon her hair, which was binding together in a tight braid. Pirouetting gracefully, she emerged from the cocoon of light as Sheik, the alter ego she had adopted successfully some years previously, an identity that enabled her to sneak out of the castle unrecognized, a disguise only Link knew the true identity of...

_Link, _she thought, suddenly remembering how he was trapped inside an isolated crystal like the home she had been residing inside until so recently, and she could bear being underground no longer; Sheik launched herself into her fastest sprint, nearly parallel to the ground, feet barely touching the soil as she tore down the narrow passageway, hurtling to a stop just before she slammed into a corner, which she then took at breakneck speed. The silver glow, she saw, was emanating from a sliver of the moon, and stretching out before her as far as her sharp, reddish brown eyes could see, was a dark green forest, so thick with vegetation that not even the moon could penetrate the forest floor with its light.

As she broke through the mouth of the tunnel, a blast of cool, clean air hit her like a punch to the face. Sheik inhaled deeply, allowing a smile to spread across her face. She did not know how much of her life Hera had cost her, but being given a second chance, to see the world with fresh eyes, was a gift she appreciated immensely.

Her eyes, so much sharper than most others', enabled her to navigate the almost pitch black forest with ease, and she wove in and out of trees, agilely leaping over bushes and skirting over logs, catching vines with her hands and swinging herself forwards like a trapeze artist, as fast and graceful as the wind, successfully startling several nocturnal creatures.

And yet, she was not at ease; she knew that running through the forest at night should have been a peaceful experience, but she could not shake the feeling that she was being followed.

_Don't be paranoid, _her sensible side told her. _This is the _outer region _of Hyrule province. No one knows where you are, and I'd be surprised if even a handful of people still think you're alive._

_ Dead, _she mused, the word ringing oddly throughout her mind. _That's got some possibilities._

It was at that moment she realized that the forest ahead was getting lighter, the trees growing farther apart, all younger-looking. This development caused her to run faster, fuelling her desire to break free of the vegetation. Sheik's eyes narrowed, and she leapt high into the air, her feet alighting briefly upon a strong branch, which she used as leverage to push herself higher into the air. She barely noticed the leaves and twigs clawing at her face as she rocketed upwards, and she had never felt more alive than when she broke the treetops, drawing one knee up to her chest as she soared through the night, keeping her other leg rigid and stretched, her arms stuff at her sides. Her eyes were narrowed against the speed-induced winds, her braid flying out behind her, but she kept her form streamlined as she began her descent.

Luckily for Sheik, the forest ended several meters from where she landed, so she did not crash. Turning a somersault, she landed lightly on her feet, bending her knees to absorb the impact. She arrived on the edge of a cliff that looked out on to a vast expanse of dark green forest, framed by the towering black shadows that were mountains. The moon leeched everything of its colour, and a blanket of mist hung over the expanse of forest like snow.

It was beautiful.

The young Sheikah inhaled deeply, her eyes sliding shut as the cool mountain air cascaded across her face, born forwards by a light breeze. She felt more alive now than she had in her entire life, and she had never appreciated the strength that flowed through her veins, or her ability to run and jump and fight with easy grace more.

But the silence of the moment was shattered by a painful pang of loneliness. Sheik's eyes snapped open, not registering the mountains in the distance, for her mind had been seized by the face of a young, elfin-like man with adventurous, oceanic blue eyes, light blonde hair and a long green hat.

_Link, _she lamented the absence of her friend and hero, companion and partner. _Where are you?_

_ Find him, _commanded a voice in her head, ringing with determination. _You have the tools, put them to use!_

Obediently, Sheik shut her eyes and raised one hand up to her face, its side brushing her nose, and she emptied her mind of all thought, surrendering herself to the sounds of the night that were all around her. Owls hooted sharply, insects buzzed, crickets chirped. Her alert ears picked up the almost inaudible sound of snakes slithering across the leaf-strewn ground, heard the rustling of wings and heard the click of claws and talons on wood. Tiny animals scurried about, digging frantically into the ground, while the muted pounding of large feet, of animals moving amongst the leaves and bushes, threatened to drown the lesser sounds out-

And then, as though a separate entity had taken control of her mind's eye, she was sprinting back through the forest, speeding past sets of glowing yellow eyes and invisible hooting creatures. Then she was scaling a stony brown cliff, and once she reached the top, she sprinted along it until she came to the opposite edge, which she flung herself off of, falling through an eternity of open air, and then she landed, impossibly lightly upon another forest floor. She tore through the vegetation due west until the sounds of a rushing waterfall assaulted her ears, and when the foliage cleared, Sheik was toppling down, born towards the ground by the roaring cascade of water, and although the force of the impact with the water should have driven all of the air from her lungs, she cut through it as easily as if she had merely jumped from a foot-high plank. She swam past schools of fish and through clumps of seaweed, ignoring maelstroms of bubbles, skimming across the slimy, rock strewn floor, before spotting a well-concealed hole in the ground, and she squeezed through the impossibly slim space, her kicks reduced to tiny fluttering movements, and was forced to trust her instincts as she plunged through total blackness, and after an impossibly long time, after her air supplies would have long since diminished, she felt the narrow passageway moving upwards, causing her to scrape her face against the jagged rock face, but the pain did not come; she rose up like a helium balloon, breaking the surface face-first and sopping wet. She clambered out of the icy cold water and onto a rocky, unfamiliar underground floor. Before she could do more than rake wet strands of hair out of her face, Sheik found herself sprinting forwards once more, bent almost double, hurtling down the treacherously bumpy passageway. As she turned the corner, her heart flew into her mouth. Marking the end of the passageway, imprisoned inside a vast emerald crystal, was Link, looking more like a child than an adult in his enchanted sleep, forehead pressed against his prison's wall, elfin face blank.

_Link, _Sheik thought, hurtling to a stop before her unconscious friend, glassy eyes reflecting the strange sight before her, fixed upon her companion's face. She reached a trembling hand forwards, intending to touch the crystal, but just as her fingers were about to touch the pristine surface, her eyes slid open, ending the illusion.

She was momentarily stunned to see that she was standing on the edge of a cliff, the rustling leaves sounding from behind her, the cold night air blasting her hard in the face, and an abrupt wave of sorrow, undoubtedly born at being wrenched away from Link, consumed her so completely that a tiny, insane part of her wished she could throw herself off the cliff Wrestling with this sudden madness, Sheik balled her hands into fists and clamped them onto to either side of her head, grappling with her sorrow

_It wasn't real, you weren't actually there, _she told herself sternly, clenching her eyes shut. _If you want to see him again, get a grip on yourself and get on that route!_

She was torn away from her internal struggle by a sound her supersensitive ears picked up. Sheik froze, her eyes snapping open, sorrow banished by the illogical fear induced by the faint growl; there were hundreds of creatures in the forest, possibly thousands, and at least half were predators, making growls an extremely common sound to be heard. But was she just being paranoid, or had the air dropped several degrees in temperature, becoming saturated with a malicious aura? The young Sheikah spun around, her every muscle pulled taught, sharp eyes scanning the deceptive, dark forest, searching for the source of the growl.

And then, an unnatural gust of wind picked up from behind her, blowing her braid over her shoulder; an omen, or coincidence? But then, a soft, ghostly voice, a woman's voice, sounded in her ear, to realistic for her to have imagined it.

"Run," the invisible woman urged her, and Sheik took off like an arrow from its bow, tearing through the forest, both fear and adrenaline coursing through her, driving her forwards, any thoughts that had been brewing in her mind left behind at the edge of the cliff. Sheik moved as stealthily as a shadow, but twenty times as fast. She conjured up a picture of her route to Link, and knew that she had to keep running until she reached a cliff face, which she would have to scale, all the while straining to make sense of whether or not she was actually in danger.

But as she sprinted into a small circular clearing, everything changed. No sooner had she reached its center than the air was rent apart by a whip-like crack, accompanied by a flash of white light, a ring that exploded out from where she was standing and sprinted off into the suddenly silent forest. In its wake, quite simply, were the sources of the growling. Sheik froze, a stiff, upright statue of utmost horror, her reddish-brown eyes widening in recognition, one hand clasped tightly over her heart. The beasts who Gannondorf had unleashed upon Castle Town were all around her, their thickly muscled necks wider than Sheik's waist. Inky black and four legged, they crouched low to the ground, saliva dripping from their mouths in vile ropes, burning red, pupilless eyes narrowed to slits. Swirling white markings crossed their backs in complicated patterns, and their lethal black claws dug into the ground, sharper than the most honed of daggers.

Sheik unfroze and slipped into a half-crouch, flexing her arms as she reached into a concealed pocket and pulled out two handfuls of sharp, impossibly thin blades, which she had dubbed needles. She clenched both fists, twirling the needles so that they were clenched in between each finger. The biggest beast, the one snarling most ferociously and coincidentally positioned across from her, crouched lower to the ground, ropes of spit trailing from its bared teeth.

There was not a doubt in Sheik's mind that her disguise hadn't hidden her true identity from these creatures.. The message emanating off them in malicious waves was clear; _The battle of Castle Town ends now, Princess Zelda._

And then all hell broke loose.


End file.
